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Bill Proposes Transparent Legislator Appointments
Leggett's Housing Pledge
The current practice of filling state legislator vacancies by secret ballot "should trouble anyone who is an advocate of open, honest government. It certainly troubles me," Del. Saqib Ali (D-Montgomery) wrote on his blog.
(By Michel Du Cille -- The Washington Post)
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At a time when the median price of a new home in Montgomery has hit $1 million, County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) is pledging to do his best to ensure that the county continues to be a place where people of all incomes can live.
In a meeting last week with more than 500 members of the advocacy group Action in Montgomery, Leggett voiced support for several of the initiatives the group has been pushing.
Leggett pledged to create a senior level affordable housing chief in his administration and to expand the Housing Initiative Fund to $80 million by fiscal year 2010. The Housing Initiative Fund uses property tax revenue to preserve or pay for affordable housing in the county. Leggett has already taken steps in this direction. In fiscal year 2007, he increased the fund from $20 million to $30 million.
In addition, he told the crowd that he supports a one-to-one replacement of affordable multi-family housing units that are lost.
Of course the wild card here is resources. Tight budgets could complicate efforts to push forward, even if affordable housing remains one of Leggett's top priorities.
Washington Post staff writer Lori Aratani contributed to this report.
